Robin is keenly fascinated by Soviet history, especially the period following the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in the 1980s. He has written two dissertations on the social impact of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster and traveled to the abandoned nuclear town of Pripyat and the exclusion zone. He also has a passion for the history of space exploration, photography, and Japanese folklore. He holds a BA in History from Bangor University and an MA in Russian and Post-Soviet Politics from UCL. In his spare time, he explores abandoned Soviet military bases and documents his experiences through his photography.
Education
MA Russian and Post-Soviet Politics — University College London, 2016
BA History — Bangor University, 2014
Areas of Expertise
The Underground Press Samizdat That Defied Soviet Censorship
Samizdat brought the works of Russian authors to the West and helped Soviet activists avoid censorship.
Protests in the Soviet Union: Resistance Behind the Iron Curtain
Despite the huge amount of state control on social life, people still managed to organize protests in the Soviet Union.
The Fall of Saigon: How Exactly Did the Vietnam War End?
The fall of Saigon was a chaotic series of events that brought the Vietnam War to an end.
8 Innovations From the Soviet Union
Throughout its history, the Soviet Union was a land of innovation, making progress in space exploration, sport, war, music, and fashion.
NASA’s Space Projects That Went Horribly Wrong
From the near-fatal Apollo 13 mission to the Challenger Shuttle disaster, the history of American space exploration has been punctuated by catastrophes.
The Polish-Soviet War: Conflict and Uncertainty in Post-WWI Poland
The fragile peace that followed World War I was brought to a harsh end in Eastern Europe when Poland and the Soviet Union went to war.
1993 Russian Constitutional Crisis: Yeltsin’s Showdown With Parliament
The 1993 Russian Constitutional Crisis was a showdown between President Boris Yeltsin and the Parliament. How did this happen, and what were the lasting consequences?
Apollo-Soyuz Test Project: A Soviet-American Handshake in Space
At the height of the Cold War, astronauts from the US and USSR worked together to realize the remarkable Apollo-Soyuz Test Project.
Shock Therapy in Russia: The Economic Upheaval of the 1990s
To jumpstart the economy after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia used a radical policy of shock therapy. What was it and how did it work?
The Bataan Death March: A Journey Through Hell
The Bataan Death March was one of the darkest episodes for Allied forces in the Pacific during World War II.
World War I Overview: Causes and Key Events
Understanding the key causes and consequences of World War I provides valuable insight into a conflict that changed the course of modern history.
Mao’s Most Loyal Followers Died in the Mysterious Lin Biao Incident. What Happened?
In 1971, one of Mao Zedong’s most loyal followers died in a mysterious plane crash in what became known as the “Lin Biao incident.”